Andrey Gagarinsky, deputy director of Kurchatov Institute

– Our nuclear power engineers will get more orders from abroad

The signing of the protocol for preliminary acceptance of the 2nd unit of Tianwan NPP in China has proved that we are getting stronger on the world market.

“Traditionally, we are among the great nuclear powers. In some spheres we are ahead of the Americans, Japanese and French, in others we lag behind. As far as fuel cycle and uranium enrichment are concerned, we are well ahead. The same is for fast-breeder reactors. As regards heavy equipment, we have much to do yet to catch up with out rivals. We are actively developing in low capacity power engineering and our rivals are watching us with half fear half interest.”

As regards China, that country wants to build NPPs on its own. So, the question is: “May it so happen that the Chinese will start replicating Russian technologies?”

“Of course, China will try to master our technologies. But still we are actively expanding into their market. If we keep high pace, China will need our expertise. Of course, we can’t force our rivals (French Areva and Japanese Westinghouse) out of the Chinese market. China is a vast market with tremendous energy demand. But one thing is clear: we are on the world market, we are in China and we are conquering a very big portion of their market.”

“Our success is good advertisement for our technologies. More and more countries are turning their eyes towards nuclear energy. The market of nuclear technologies is quickly growing and we will get more and more orders from abroad,” says Gagarinsky.